COLLEGE BASKETBALL: OTAHKS TURN OVER BALL, GAME LATE TO LIPSCOMB

Turnovers and missed opportunities spelled defeat for the the Otahkians as they fell to David Lipscomb University 61-60 at the Show Me Center on Wednesday night.

Despite not playing well, Southeast had a golden opportunity to win the down-to-the-wire contest and send Lipscomb home still searching for their first-ever Division I victory.

"I thought it was a game we had to have," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "You have to defend your home turf. We had opportunities, as bad as we played, to still win, but we couldn't get the ball inbounded right at the end and that cost us the win."

Leading 60-59 with six seconds left and possession of the ball, Southeast looked in good shape. But twice the Otahkians failed to inbound the ball under the Lady Bisons' basket -- once before a timeout and once after.

A five-second violation was called on the second failed attempt, giving the Lady Bisons possession with four seconds left. Lipscomb's Renee Logan promptly scored on a jumper in the lane to deal the Otahkians the heartbreaking loss.

"We had plays set up both times, two different plays, and she just couldn't get the ball inbounds," said Arnzen. "Sometimes we think they're adults, but they're not. They're kids and she just made a mistake."

Southeast fell behind early in the first quarter, but after knotting the score at seven, held a 35-31 lead at the intermission.

Unable to shake the Lady Bisons, the Otahkians fell behind 39-42 at the 14-minute mark on a three-pointer by Laurel Elling. Lipscomb converted 5 of 10 three-pointers in the second half while Southeast went 0-for-4.

Lipscomb kept the lead until a baseline jumper by Southeast' Veronica Benson sent the Otahkians up 58-57 with 2:47 left. Benson scored again with 40 seconds left to put the Otahkians in seemingly good shape at 60-57.

But a jumper by the Bisons' Kendra Ramsey and the dagger by Logan wrapped around the inbounds violation was the difference.

Southeast's leading scorer Benson again led with 18 points while center Pam Iverson chipped in with 11.

Lipscomb had three players in double figures led by Logan with 15, Ramsey and Amelia Stark with 11.